[OpenMadrigal-developers] Dropping support for Matlab 5

[William Rideout]

I'm planning to drop support for Matlab 5 in the Madmatlab client API (this is 
the API that allows you to access Madrigal data using Matlab from anywhere on 
the internet).  The basic problem is that Matlab 5 did not support accessing 
data over the internet; so I've been using a third-party module called pnet. 
However, this module has two serious problems:

1.  Eiscat has had a problem using this module through its firewall.
2.  It fails when downloading large amounts of data (actually, it just downloads 
some of the data, and returns without generating an error).

Problem 2 can be avoided by using the urlread method that was introduced in 
Matlab 6.  I'm hoping that by switching to this standand method, the Eiscat 
firewall problem will also disappear (hopefully I can get someone there to try 
it in a few days when I put a new version on-line).

Please let me know you need Matlab 5 support; however, problem 2 can lead to 
corrupt results, so I really want to make the switch.

Bill

-- 
Bill Rideout
MIT Haystack Observatory
Email: brideout at haystack.mit.edu
Phone: 781 981-5624